Certain types of surgery including liposuction; abdominal plasty; hysterectomy; mastectomy; cesarean section & breast surgery; and hernia repairs result in the separation of certain soft body tissue and swelling. Post-surgical healing for this tissue is promoted with the use of devices designed to exert certain therapeutic pressure externally about the affected body area. Present day devices consist of elastic bands of one of the three following types: (1) all elastic bands attached in an adjustable manner about the circumference of the abdomen capable of stretching about the length and width of the band; (2) all adjustable elastic bands attached as in 1, but containing attached restrictions permitting stretching about the length only, not the width; (3) bands as cited in 1 and 2 further including separate elastic crotch supporting bands.
Limitations of the prior art cited above include (1) inability of the devices to consistently remain in position with body movements occurring during daily living; (2) inability of the devices to comfortably transition from areas of the desired therapeutic pressure, to surrounding areas of non-pressure.